Wings
by ktoll9
Summary: She's finally had enough and she needs a break. He doesn't know how she feels or what's happening around him. Can the little cherub that has decided to take on the family motto help them?
1. Serendipity

_**Wings**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: Serendipity**_

* * *

"I see... So that's how it is." She thought glumly as she held the little doll of Ren in her hands, remembering all the things that Kimiko Morizumi had implied during and after the audition. "So... She's the one that Tsuruga-san has fallen in love with." She sighed and didn't notice that the tears started streaming down her face. "Ah... I really need to stop this." She brushed away the tears and stored the little doll in her bag. She stood up and opened her locker. She started removing all of the beautiful little White Day gifts that she had been given and put them in a little box that was in the corner of the LoveMe room.

As she was packing her belongings in the box a quiet man had entered the room and observed her. He hadn't seen her this upset since her discussion with Lory on White Day. "Kyoko-sama," He called to her quietly, startling her a bit. "Takarada-sama would like to see you in his office as soon as you're available."

Kyoko nodded. "Thank you." She left the room with him, leaving the box filled with everything that was in her locker on the table, next to her purse.

* * *

"Ah... Mogami-kun, please have a seat. I have something very important to discuss with you." Lory told her as she entered his office. _Oh my... I wonder what happened. She's normally... Hmm, this is like White Day. I must ask Yashiro what's bothering her._

She sat on the plush sofa and Lory poured her a cup of tea. "What did you need to see me for Shachou?"

He smiled brightly and plopped six large envelopes down in front of her. "I wanted to go over some new offers with you. I think that these will benefit you greatly."

"Couldn't you have given them to Yashiro-san?" She asked tiredly.

There was definitely something wrong. She never spoke to him that way unless she was in Setsuka mode. He inconspicuously examined her demeanor. "Did something happen Mogami-kun?"

She shook her head. "No... No, nothing I didn't expect. I'm fine. Could we please go over these? I had some important things I needed to finish today."

"Ah... Yes..." She had perplexed him once again with her attitude and the fake smile she was showing him. "Well it seems that your portrayal of Setsuka Heel has caught a little attention. You have these 2 offers from a director in England. Your portrayal of Natsu has caught the attention of a Director Stefan Ginsburg in America. Producer Kuresaki was impressed with your portrayal of Momiji and would like to offer you a part in a feature film with Pinnacle Studios in Los Angeles. _(He never acted like it. She thought.)_ This one... A French director, Francois Noir was impressed with your Angel in the Sho Fuwa PV and would like to offer you a part his film and finally Director Ogata has another offer for you for the lead in a drama he just got his hands on.

She looked at him a little confused for a moment and it seemed as though a light bulb went on in her mind or, the little hamster started running at a breakneck pace. "What are their schedules?"

Lory looked at her in confusion, but still answered. "Well... The two from England overlap Director Ogata's offer, but they last for a total of about 5 months. The one from Producer Kuresaki starts filming about 2 weeks after the last one in England ends and the offer from Director Noir begins just after Kuresaki-san's ends. The one from Director Ginsburg takes place just after the filming of Director Noir's film.

Kyoko sat and stared at the 5 scripts that were enticing her. She picked them up, placed them into their own little pile, looked at Lory and said. "These five..."

Lory looked at her in surprise. "Are you sure? You know that doing these five will keep you out of Japan for more than an entire year if you do them."

She smiled at him, hiding her pain. _That's what I'm counting on Takarada-san._ "I'm absolutely certain. I feel that these five will help me further my career."

"Very well Mogami-kun, I agree... I will let them know and start the paperwork. I will contact your manager when everything is ready for you." He wasn't sure that he was comfortable with the way she was behaving at the moment, but she was right and he did want her to be internationally known.

Kyoko looked at him curiously. "Shachou? Does LME offer classes in French?"

He smiled and nodded. "I'll set you up with one of our language instructors." He told her and she was dismissed.

* * *

Lory turned to Ruto and sighed. "I don't think Yashiro-kun will be going with Mogami-kun on her little adventure. I'm going to assign you to her while she's out of country."

"Yes sir." Ruto answered stoically.

Lory pointed to the seat where Kyoko had been sitting moments ago. "Have a seat." Lory told him as he pulled a tablet PC and smart phone from his desk and placed them next to Kyoko's offers. "We need to go over her scheduling and her modeling offers she has that coincide with her films. I have a feeling that she'll want to keep busy." Lory pulled a stack of papers he had printed up from his email and handed them to Ruto. "These are her movie contracts." He explained as he paper clipped and separated five of the stacks. "These are her modeling contacts for France, England and America." He laid out three more. "These are her work visas," Three more stacks. "Rental agreements for temporary housing," Another three stacks. "And finally her paperwork for her transfer to LME International."

Ruto nodded. "Sir... Are you sure you're okay with this?"

Lory smiled wryly and sighed. "It's what's good for her career and growth, Ruto. Somehow... I think she needs this."

"And Tsuruga-san?" Ruto looked up at him after glancing over some of the paperwork.

"Well, that boy will just have to figure things out on his own this time." Lory sighed. "She wants to spread her wings and I'm not going to stop her."

Ruto nodded. "I'll make arrangements for her to continue her studies online." He made a note in his tablet computer. He picked up the work visas, new contract and the rental agreements. "And she'll need to sign these immediately." He was starting to get into the groove of management.

Lory smiled proudly as he watched his protégé pick up the task and run with it.

"This script requires ballet, I'll make arrangements with our training department for lessons. This one... She's going to need some vocal training... I'll contact Nakazawa-san to arrange something with the music department. I would like for her to speak to the PR Department regarding those photos that were taken recently of her and Fuwa-san and I also will need to be briefed on her relationship to him Takarada-sama. I prefer to not go into that blindly." Ruto informed him.

Lory smiled at him. "My you took to this like a duck to water, didn't you? I'm so very proud. I think you will do well with my LoveMe Angel."

Ruto was still staring at him and expecting an answer.

"Oh yes..." Lory answered. "Hmm..." He shuffled through his desk and finally pulled out a thick pink file. "This is Mogami-kun's file. All the information you will need regarding her is in here." He handed it to him. "Oh and there's a copy of her Emancipation somewhere in this stack too. Make sure that finds it's way to her."

Ruto took the file, leaned back in his seat and began reading.


	2. Breaking Away

_**Chapter 2: Breaking Away**_

* * *

"I don't understand Takarada-san. Was she unhappy with my performance?" Yashiro asked with worry.

Lory shook his head. "No, Yukihito-kun... You did a beautiful job. She's going to be out of country for a time and she's going to need a manager that can put his full focus on her."

"Out of country?" Yashiro swallowed the hard lump in his throat. He wasn't certain he wanted to hear this.

Lory nodded. "Yes, she has some movie offers she's decided to take and she's been transferred to LME International. I'm having Ruto take over for you. All I'm asking you is to make sure you go over her current schedule with him so that he can take over properly."

Yashiro sighed. "And what about Ren?"

"What about him? He has his own work to do. He has a busy schedule and he's going to need your expertise once again." Lory informed him nonchalantly.

"No! What do I tell Ren if he asks about her?" Yashiro asked with an irritated tone.

Lory sighed. "If... and I really do mean if... If he does ask about her, refer him to me. If he presses you for the information, which I doubt he will... You know how he is... Tell him the truth. She's been transferred and has some projects she is busy with." Lory instructed.

Yashiro sighed in defeat.

"I've assigned Office 312 to Ruto. He should be there right now, organizing and preparing Mogami-kun's paperwork. Could you send in Mogami-kun as you leave?" Lory dismissed him.

 _~xoxo~_

"Ah... Mogami-kun..." He smiled brightly as the beautiful little pixie entered his office. "Have a seat. I have your movie contracts to sign and your new scripts." He told her as she sat before his desk.

She let out a breath of relief as she spied the 5 thick packets sitting on his desk. "Are these my new scripts?"

Lory nodded. "Your new manager also has a few things for you to sign, once you go down to meet him." Lory informed her.

"New manager?" She asked him confused.

Lory smiled. "Yes, Yashiro-kun will not be joining you on your adventure. However, I have assigned Ruto to help you out. I will need you to go and meet him in Office 312 after our discussion." He informed her.

Kyoko nodded. "I suppose that makes sense. He can't very well take care of Tsuruga-san if he's in a foreign country with me." She chuckled softly and sighed sadly. "Had to happen sooner or, later."

Lory gave her a small pitying smile. "Mogami-kun... I think you will be pleasantly surprised at his efficiency. He's really looking forward to taking care of you and your career." Lory assured her.

She picked up a pen and began signing each one and handing it to Lory.

When she was finished Lory placed each one in a large folder next to his computer for scanning and emailing later. He looked up at her and sighed. "Now... Would you like to talk about why you want to leave Japan for such a long time?" He asked as he handed her new scripts to her.

She flinched a little and sighed. "I suppose you would figure it out sooner or, later."

"And what would that be?" Lory asked softly.

Kyoko sighed almost dramatically. "I finally met the girl that Tsuruga-san is in love with." She announced emotionlessly. "I prefer not to make a fool of myself in front of him with my newfound jealousy. He deserves to be happy and I refuse to stand in his way." Tiny tears started streaming down her cheeks and Lory handed her a tissue. "I knew it would happen and you and I kind of discussed it... I just... I didn't think I would run into her so soon. It was kind of painful." She chuckled wryly. "She's perfect for him. I can't deny that."

Lory looked at her in confusion. "Who is this girl that you think is Ren's love?"

Kyoko shook her head. "Oh... I met her at the audition for Momiji. Kimiko Morizumi."

Lory looked at her in shock. "Why would you think Ren loves her?"

Kyoko sighed. "Well... He did give her a Promise Ring for White Day and Yashiro-san did make it sound like they wanted to hide their relationship from the press."

Lory's throat went dry and he could feel the anger crawling up his spine. "And you Kyoko-chan?"

Kyoko looked up at him and cocked her head slightly, confused by the question. "What about me?"

"How do you feel about all of this?" He asked.

She snorted deprecatingly. "I have no right to feel anything for him. He has made it quite clear to me that I mean nothing to him. Besides I never really had any expectations. No one has ever felt that way for me. Why should they start now?"

"How has he made it clear to you?" Lory asked wanting to crush the person that made her feel like this.

Kyoko shook her head. "I seem to be the only one he didn't even contact for White Day. I mean, I really didn't expect him to, but at least an acknowledgment that we were friends would have been nice. I guess I'm not even that to him." She started to sniffle. "It's okay though. Like I said... I knew from the beginning that I meant nothing to him."

Lory was now fuming. _Why didn't Kuon tell me of any of this!_ He looked at Kyoko sadly and nodded. He truly wanted to hug and comfort her. "I understand." He sighed. "I'll make sure Ruto gets your travel itinerary by the end of next week." _And I'll make sure that Yashiro and Kuon keep away from her for a while._ And with that thought, photographers, directors and producers where given the unofficial/official order for the two to never be scheduled in the same place at the same time and her schedule was kept at an almost top secret level only known by Ruto, Lory and Kyoko herself.

* * *

Two weeks went by and neither Yashiro or, Kuon could reach Kyoko. Her number had been changed and Sawara-san had told them that he could no longer find her scheduling in the computer for her. If they hadn't seen flashes of her strawberry-blonde hair at LME occasionally, they would have thought that she had vanished. Yashiro had told him that her new manager Ruto, was with her constantly and refused to give her new number to anyone, but who she specifically told him to. Apparently she was still having issues with hostile phone calls. They had discovered that she was no longer attending school, her ballet lessons had increased in frequency and she was receiving tutoring in French. It was all starting to worry the pair. What was going on? There was a complete information black out on her, except for her profile on the LME website that hadn't been updated for quite some time.

"Ren... I really don't know what to tell you, other than the fact she's been transferred and she's busy. Takarada-san refused to tell me anything else. He said if you absolutely needed to know, you were to ask him yourself." Yashiro told him in exasperation. He was tired of being grilled about Kyoko when he had very little information himself.

Kuon sighed. He was getting nowhere with any of this. He truly didn't want to ask Lory. If he had, he knew the teasing would ensue and he certainly wasn't in the mood for it. In this moment, stubbornness won out... Unfortunately.

* * *

"Have they decided who will replace you on Kimagure Rock?" Ruto asked her offhandedly as he rearranged her scheduling for the interviews and photo-shoots she had before they had to leave.

Kyoko looked up from her script, a little surprised. "You know about that job."

Ruto nodded and smiled. "I am your manager Kyoko-sama. It's my job to know."

Kyoko sighed. "You can call me Kyoko and that particular character will be retired on the next show. They haven't been able to find anyone to replace me." She sighed again. "I suppose it's all for the best, all things considered." She told him as her thoughts drifted to Ren. She shook her head and went back to reading her script that Director McDonald sent her for _**Runaway**_.

In _**Runaway**_ she would be an older teen whose parents were murdered because they were eyewitness to the identity of an international assassin. She would be chased all over Europe by the assassin, that wanted to kill her, and a handsome interpol agent, that wanted to protect her. Her character would be rebellious, cautious with her trusts, and a little jaded.

Kyoko and Ruto would be getting on the plane to England in four days. Moko-san, Maria and Chiori already had her new number and email. Most of her belongings had already been boxed and shipped to her new apartment in London. Her bank account was switched to an international bank with her pay going through a direct deposit system from LME International.

As much as it pained her, she hadn't heard anything from Yashiro-san or, Tsuruga-san, but since her discovery of Morizumi-chan, she really didn't expect to. He had a girl he loved and a life to live without her. Cutting ties with him was for the best. She chose not to add salt to an already festering wound by hanging around him like a despicable needy little girl, like she had been with Sho. At least that was another advantage that came from all of this. She wouldn't be seeing Sho for a very long time and she was looking forward to that welcome break in her life.


	3. Revelation

_**Chapter 3: Revelation**_

* * *

The atmosphere at LME was stifling and oppressive. It was as if the entire company had been in mourning. It had been a few weeks since he had seen any sign of Kyoko and Lory's assistant, Ruto was missing from his side. Usually he would have heard at least something of her antics by now and what he had experienced waiting for his interview earlier that morning disturbed him. He needed to talk to her.

 _ **Flashback:**_

"Oh Ren-san!" Kimiko Morizumi sat next to him in the green room. "It's so nice to see you again. I never really got the opportunity to say thank you."

He looked at her a little confused. "For?"

She smiled shyly. "Why for my White Day gift of course." She wagged her little pinkie finger at him. "It did help me during the audition for Momiji." She smirked. "I think that girl Kyoko thought she meant more to you than I did." She giggled. "She seemed really distracted after she asked about it. She must have thought that you would be attracted to someone like her or, it wouldn't have had the desired effect. So, I would really like to thank you for the good luck charm... It worked; although, she still got the part, but I did get a much better offer after that!" He didn't need to know about the little conversation she had with Koenji-san about being in the entertainment industry. There were other ways to participate, besides there were ways around that video, her family was working on it. She bounced back up out of her seat and Ren watched her leave the room speechless. It was her turn to be interviewed about promoting her family and her blog.

 _ **End Flashback:**_

He really needed to find her, let her know that it was all a big misunderstanding. That she meant the world to him, but he couldn't find her anywhere. Not her hair, not her voice, not her scent, not her anything. He stalked to the LoveMe room to see if anyone there knew anything, only to find a sombre Ice Queen studying a script.

"Kotonami-san? Have you seen Kyoko?" He tried to control the timbre of his voice and disguise his worry.

Kanae looked up at him with a glare. "Stop worrying about her and worry about your hellspawn girlfriend." Kanae slammed her script shut, shoved it into her bag and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

He stood there stunned. "What the hell?" He turned to leave and ran into Chiori as she entered.

"Ah... Amamiya-san... Have you seen Kyoko?" He sounded a little anxious now and didn't try to hide it.

Chiori tried not to scowl at the pretty little playboy, but she was a bit unsuccessful. "She left." She answered shortly.

"When? What job is she at? I really need to speak with her." He asked.

Chiori sighed at the interrogation. "She left a month ago. As for where she's at? I have no idea. Somewhere in Europe right now?" She tapped her chin as if in deep thought.

He looked at her in shock. "Europe?"

Chiori was now taking a small perverse pleasure in watching this little playboy squirm. "Oh... Of course... She's with LME International now. From what I understand she won't be returning to Japan for quite sometime. Hmm, I guess over a year, if ever." She sighed dramatically. "It kind of makes me jealous and reminds me of Kuu Hizuri-san." She looked up at him curiously and gave him a small smile. "He never came back either, did he?" She put her bag in her locker and left the stunned man to absorb the news.

* * *

"Why did you let her go?!" He asked in distress.

The toga clad eccentric sighed dramatically. "Kuon... She graduated LoveMe and she was in high demand. I couldn't hold her back."

"What do you mean graduated from LoveMe?" He felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. The only way for her to graduate would be to fall in love.

"Well of course. Although it was one sided and she discovered he cared nothing for her, but she did fall in love. She decided that she needed some time away to recover. She found it very painful when his girlfriend flaunted her promise ring and the relationship in front of her. It had actually distracted her enough to almost fail her audition for Momiji." Lory shook his head not realizing the encounter Ren had earlier in the day.

"Did you say Momiji?" His voice was low and quiet.

"Oh... Yes. Apparently one of the girls there was dating the young man in secret or, so she implied. She was completely devastated. She admitted to expecting it though. He never implied that they were more than just distant acquaintances." Lory chuckled wryly. "She told me that she had made something special for him for Valentine's Day but, when White Day came, it was clear to her that he didn't even see her as a friend." Lory shook his head. "I really do hope that this time away for her will help her heal from her pain. To learn to love again and be treated so horribly. It seems as though life is telling her she isn't worthy of being loved by anyone like that."

Ren sat in silence, absorbing the information bomb that Lory casually dropped on him. _How was this possible? She wasn't ready! She told Corn she wasn't ready when she was in Guam!_ "She lied..." He whispered.

"I'm sorry... What was that, Kuon?" Lory asked as he poured himself a scotch and puffed his cigar.

Ren looked up at him. "Kimiko Morizumi lied to her." He declared.

"Oh? She lied about you giving her a ring for White Day? She lied about not even being casually acknowledged by you on White Day? Did Kyoko lie when she told me that you didn't talk to her, send her a card or, give her a gift on White Day?" Lory interrogated. His voice taking on a more and more angry tone as the questioning continued.

Ren shook his head. "No..." He answered in a small voice. Lory was right. "I..."

"I honestly don't want to hear your excuses for all the damage you've done to her with your carelessness." Lory hissed. "It's better this way. Were you aware that not a single solitary person has ever told her they loved her. Not one Kuon! I would have never known this had I not been at the airport with Maria when she left. Maria is the only person in Kyoko-chan's life that has _**ever**_ said I love you to her and it not being an acting job. Not a one, Kuon! Not even you!" Lory lectured.

"I... I didn't know." His voice full of distress. "I thought she would run from me."

"At least she would have known that there was one person on the planet that felt that way! That wasn't afraid or, ashamed of her! No one should live like that, Kuon! Although you run from your parents, at least you have them! She only has Maria and she didn't know until a month ago! She's 17 almost 18 years old and she's lived all that time without anyone ever telling her!" Lory yelled.

"I did tell her! I told her in Guam!" Ren blurted out.

"Oh... You mean as a fictional character that she believed she would never see again?" Lory said flatly.

Ren's eyes went wide. "I..."

"Yes... I knew and I'm disgusted with you for your cowardice." Lory shook his head in disgust. "At least Fuwa-san was honest about it. He may have used her as a maid but, he never implied that he had any interest in her other than that. Funny enough, he apologized to her at the airport before she left. It's a shame they grew up like siblings, they make a cute couple." Lory goaded then chuckled. "She's adorable when she's flustered." Lory told him remembering Sho's apology and kiss to Kyoko.

"What do you mean?" Ren growled.

"Oh that?" He snorted. "He apologized to her on the spot and kissed her when he found out she probably wouldn't be returning to Japan. I have a feeling that boy will probably try to follow her to the ends of the Earth."

"That bastard doesn't deserve her!" Ren exploded.

Lory looked up at him calmly. "And neither does a man that lies to her and makes her feel like she did when she left. At least that boy is making a conscious effort. At least she knows the bracelet he slapped on her wrist was from him and not a made up fantasy." Lory told him, referring to the pink diamond Ren gave her for her birthday.

His head ached, he was sick to his stomach, his heart was in his lower intestine and he now felt numb all over. With a burning heat behind his eyes he looked up at Lory and asked. "What do I do Boss? I don't know how to fix this."


	4. Three Little Words

_**Warning: I used Google Translator for the French phrases... Lol, we all know how well that works. If anything is incorrect, I apologize for the horrifyingly glaring slights. 8) "All praise Google, the patron god of misinformation and knowledge." o.O**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4: Three Little Words**_

* * *

 _ **One Month Ago:**_

She had 12 hours to think about everything that happened at the airport. Maria telling her that she loved her. Sho's apology to her _(She shivered at the thought)_ and slapping that diamond tennis bracelet on her wrist. She was so stunned, she didn't even think of stopping him when he pulled her in and kissed her passionately. Now that she had time to think about it, it felt strange... him kissing her like that and whispering his love for her. She had forgiven him months ago, when she forgave her mother. His kiss to her, she supposed, actually felt like something she would feel if a brother kissed her. Awkward and kinda gross. _(She shivered again)_ She was definitely glad to let him know she didn't see him as a lover or, anything of that type. She didn't want to string him along with no words like he did her in the past, it really wouldn't be fair to him. She sighed deeply and pulled out her script.

"Is everything okay Kyoko?" Ruto whispered as he looked up from his tablet computer.

She gave him a small smile. "I'm fine Ruto-san... Just thinking."

Ruto sighed. "Kyoko... Remember what we discussed? English and no more honorifics. If I can call you Kyoko, you can call me Ruto." He smiled roguishly.

She giggled. "Sorry... I forgot." She took a drink of the bottled water the flight attendant brought her and went back to her script.

* * *

"Sho... I'm so sorry." Aki Shoko consoled him.

He gave her a sad smile. "Nah... It's okay Shoko-san. I knew she wouldn't feel that way about me. I... I just needed her to know. You know, just in case there was a small chance that she still felt anything like that for me. I had a feeling she'd say no." He leaned back into the sofa and sighed with his eyes closed.

"Hmm... Well, at least you can move on now." Aki told him, trying to show him the silver lining in this particularly dark cloud bank.

Sho nodded in agreement. "She's not coming back... Is she?..."

Aki sighed. "I don't think so... She's improved quite a bit since your PV and from what you've told me about her life here in Japan... She really has no reason to. At least, I know I wouldn't, honestly."

Sho nodded. "I guess I kind of agree. That little girl..." He swallowed the lump in his throat at what he was about to confess. "That little girl Maria, is really the first person that's ever told her _"I love you."_ " He felt the hot tears of guilt start to stream. "I shouldn't have let that happen. I should have told her a long time ago, but... but I was too much of a selfish ass." He felt arms close around his shoulders.

"At least she knows someone does now." Aki reassured him.

He looked up at her. "You don't get it, do you? She's 17 years old and the only person that's ever told her "I love you" and not lied about it, is a little girl that couldn't be more than 8 years old, that she just met in the past... what? Year and a half? Her mother never told her... I never told her... My parents never cared enough to tell her... From what it sounds like... Tsuruga hasn't even told her... Her friends... How sick is it that all those people claim to care about her; yet, not a one has the balls to say three little simple words to ease her mind and soothe her soul? To let her know she's actually wanted in this world? Unconditional love! Not friend love... Not the love of her fans... Just simple, true, pure love... from the heart... It's just not right and not fair, Shoko-san and _**I'm**_ responsible for most of it! _**Me**_! _**I**_ hurt her! _**I**_ tossed her aside! _**I**_ killed her innocence! _**I**_ jaded her! _**Me**_!" He punished himself with his words and Shoko couldn't disagree with him, most of what he had said was entirely true and he had never hated himself as much as he did at that moment.

* * *

"So when we land, there will be a car waiting for us that Takarada-sama told me we can use during our stay. I have researched the area where we'll be staying. If you have any needs or, questions... Just let me know." Ruto told her.

"Oh... Will our apartment be stocked? If not, we'll need to stop and get groceries beforehand." She asked.

He nodded. "I believe we'll have fresh produce and meats. Takarada-sama did tell me that the two bedroom apartment will be fully furnished and everything that you may need will be available. If not there is a few markets within walking distance that we can visit." He informed her.

She nodded. "Hmm, if we have time before work begins... I would like to explore the area a bit. It will be our home for 5 months while filming _**Runaway**_ and _**Roses & Wine**_, before we move on to America to work on filming _**Black Cat**_."

He nodded. "Then on to France for _**Angel's Kiss**_ and back to America to work with Director Ginsburg on _**Bloodline**_. We'll make sure that we alternate days between English and French to make the transitions easier. At least until you're completely comfortable with the dictions and dialects." He finished.

"Splendid idea." She agreed excitedly.

"Oh..." He handed her a little piece of paper. "Your information for your online High School classes, so you can finish this year. It's set up so that you may work at your own pace. If you choose to work ahead to graduate early or, if you need to go a bit more slowly due to your scheduling, you may."

She sighed with relief. "Thank you so much. I was worried about that." She folded the little note and placed it safely in her wallet.

"Oh... I almost forgot." He pulled out a small laptop PC and placed it on her tray-table. "A gift from Takarada-sama. He said that you would need this." He smiled and held up it's bag to show her all of the little accessories and the small portable printer that was stored with it.

She gasped. "He really shouldn't have."

Ruto chuckled. "Well... How else were you going to continue your studies online?"

"Oh... I guess you're right." She put her script in her bag and opened the small computer, booted it up and began her efforts to learn everything about the new device that she could.

* * *

They finally reached their destination and made themselves comfortable in their new 2 bedroom, fully-furnished, luxury apartment in downtown London. It was spacious and comfortable. Lory had made certain that they lacked nothing for their first week there. The rest of their stay would be up to them when it came to food, cleaning items and toiletries. They each had their own spacious room in their LME International owned apartment, which was furnished with two comfortable king-sized beds, walk-in closet space, two nightstands each, a dresser each, a vanity with mirror for Kyoko and an en suite bathroom for each.

Kyoko's new smart phone rang the next morning and she smiled softly. Feeling a bit mischievous, she decided to start her day the way she and Ruto had agreed. In French. " _Bonjour Maria. Comment_ _é_ _tait ta journ_ _é_ _e?_ " (Good morning Maria. How was your day?)

Maria squealed with delight. " _Bonjour, la Grande Soeur. Je fais merveilleusement! Tu me manques._ " (Good morning, Big Sister. I'm doing wonderfully! I miss you.)

And that's how Kyoko's first full day in London began, with a warm heart and a phone call from her loving little sister. This is how every other day would begin and every evening it would end with " _Je t'aime Onee-sama._ " (I love you Onee-sama.) just before bedtime. The response would be, " _Je t'aime aussi, Maria-chan._ " (I love you too, Maria-chan.) with a hug and a kiss from each through the line.

 _ **End Flashback**_


	5. Silence Would Be More Comfortable

_**A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own the Magazine Maxim.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5: Silence Would Be More Comfortable**_

* * *

Well yes, there she was in all of her beauty... _**The Kyouko**_. Aspiring international model and actress on the pages of three different Men's international magazines and two men that had subscriptions to said magazines had just received them in the post and were staring intently at her photo spread and reading every article. They saw it now, two months out of Japan and she was a comet streaking across the sky they could only view from afar as they desperately struggled to break free from their Earthbound tethers. Ruto was doing his job phenomenally. Her beautiful face was being seen all over the world. _She's finally using her wings._ A faux fairy prince sighed in his lonely dressing room as he awaited his next set of scenes. _She is truly amazing._ Thought the other proudly, just before going to his interview.

Outside his door, Kuon heard the sweet voice of his favorite little blonde imp. " _J'ai vu vos photos, Onee-sama. Vous_ _ê_ _tes belle._ " (I saw your pictures, Onee-sama. You look beautiful.)... " _Oui_."(Yes)... She giggled. " _Le mois prochain._ " (Next month.)... " _Le grand-p_ _è_ _re m'a dit que_ _ç_ _a valait bien._ " (Grandfather told me it was okay.)... " _Je t'aime, Onee-sama._ _À_ _plus tard._ " (I love you, Onee-sama. See you then.) After that was a knock on his door. He answered.

"Hello Maria-chan. What brings you here?" He asked trying to sound cheery. It wasn't working.

Maria gave him a small smile. "I thought I would stop by and say hi since Grandfather had business down the hall." She observed Ren's strained look and haggard demeanor. _He's not happy, not like when Onee-sama was here._ She thought sadly. _I wonder if he loves and misses her too._ _No, he would have told her. Ren-sama wouldn't keep something like that a secret from someone he loved. He's probably just having a rough day_. She hugged him. "I hope you're feeling better, Ren." She said sweetly.

"Thank you Maria. I'm sure it'll work out someday." He said glumly.

She kissed his cheek. _I really wish I could cheer him up._ _He seems so sad._ She hugged him again and noticed the magazines with Kyoko's pictures on the covers, laying on the coffee table. The first with her in a deep red silk, slip dress, stockings, and platform ruby pumps, with her hair styled like Natsu's and she was leaning against a brick wall. On the second cover she was wearing black leather pants that revealed a strip of flesh on her legs as the sides were laced up to the hips, a black leather studded corset over a sheer, deep purple top, and stacked heel ankle boots with laces, with her makeup like Setsuka's and her strawberry-blonde hair extended to her waist and teased up wildly, as she posed sexily on a motorcycle.

The third he rushed to cover, but Maria had caught sight of the two page photo. It was a tastefully done centerfold of Kyoko laying on her belly on a dark blue, silk decorated, wrought iron, black, daybed, in the nude with her derrière covered by a royal blue silk sheet and her head resting on her arms, which were folded under her head, looking out at the camera on a blue satin background. The only parts of her body that could actually be seen in the photo were the soft silken expanse of her beautiful back, arms, shoulders, her left side and the little dimples just above her perfect backside, the rest was hidden by the sheet or, her position.

Maria's eyes grew wide. "Wow..." She marveled. "Ren-sama... Is that Onee-sama?"

Ren sighed defeatedly. "Yeah..."

She could hear the sadness in his voice. "She looks so beautiful... Like one of those paintings in the museum."

"She does." He agreed.

At that very moment Maria knew exactly why her Ren-sama suffered. He was in love with her Onee-sama and she was far away from him.

* * *

After the semi-nude photo-shoot for _**Maxim**_ , things just kind of expanded. Her confidence and her self-image greatly improved, exponentially. Her shyness flew out the window, and she learned how to gracefully take a compliment. She also realized that there were men out there that found her extremely attractive, but continued to politely rebuff them as she signed their offered photos of her and smiled radiantly. She had her career to think of. She refused to allow herself be duped again, because with this awakening came the reminiscence of _the many faces of Ren_ and the revelation that he was behaving that way while courting Morizumi, in her mind. In Kyoko's eyes, he was now truly a dog of the worst kind and there was no one there to refute it. What had cemented it all was her realization that it was indeed him in Guam. Yes, Ren was her Corn and Corn was Hizuri-san's Kuon and no, he was no longer her Otou-san after this revelation. Not after her LoveMe assignment, in which she now realized she had been used. It was hurtful and despicable of them to do that, and she now knew she deserved better than that. Leaving Japan had pulled the veil from her eyes, never to be replaced.

It was Kuon's accompaniment of Maria that had shocked and irritated her. Was he really going to try and play this game with the freshly enlightened Kyouko? She thought not! She was done playing these games. No man was going to use her as a doormat ever again!

" _Maria! Tu m'as tellement manqu_ _é_ _!_ " (Maria! I missed you so much!) Kyoko cried out as they ran to each other in the airport.

" _Onee-sama! Je suis tellement heureux de vous voir!_ " (Onee-sama! I'm so happy to see you!) She replied with Kuon following in his blond hair and green eyes.

Kyoko looked up at him and without missing a beat, greeted him. " _Monsieur Hizuri? Qu'est-ce qui t'am_ _è_ _ne?_ " (Mr. Hizuri? What brings you here?)

He froze internally, expecting her to call him Corn not Mr. Hizuri. This was going to be a very difficult and uncomfortable stay. "Kyoko... I... Need to talk to you."

She ignored his reply.

He grabbed her shoulder to get her attention as she turned away from him and started to walk away. "Kyoko we need to talk."

She shrugged his hand off. " _Monsieur Hizuri, si vous voulez me parler, faites-le en Fran_ _ç_ _ais._ " (Mr. Hizuri, if you wish to speak to me, do so in French.) She replied calmly, but he could see the anger in her eyes.

"And why do you want me to do that?" He asked in confusion while looking at the girls.

They both looked at him and smiled. Maria with a genuine smile and Kyoko with a smile that would remind anyone of his annoyed Lying Gentleman Smile. " _Parce que c'est vendredi_ " (Because it's Friday.) They both replied and that's how his day continued. He could swear at certain points of the day, he could feel icicles forming on him from her looks at him.

Trying to broach the subject with Kyoko, was stressing little Maria out. Every time Maria would mention anything about Kuon, Kyoko would skillfully distract her and adeptly change the subject. She couldn't even argue his case when Kyoko informed him she had no room in her apartment and he would have to find lodgings elsewhere. At least he was able to learn her address and her manager's phone number that way. Not that it would do him any good in two months, he discovered.


	6. Lies & Meddling

_**Chapter 6: Lies & Meddling**_

* * *

The day before had been a living hell around her and apparently she enjoyed it. Maria had explained that due to her filming in France in two months, she was making it a point to refine her newly learned language by total immersion. _Understandable_. She could have said something to him though. He knew how to speak French. They could have easily had their discussion the previous day. The discussion where he wanted to clear the air with her. However, her realization that he was Kuon Hizuri without him telling her was complicating things even more than they had been originally. How was he supposed to explain to her that Morizumi-san meant nothing to him when he had lied about himself from the very beginning? Then there was the little LoveMe mission where his father was involved, to get his attention. He was certain she took that well. ( _insert sarcasm here_ ) He groaned.

Ruto was being even less helpful in the matter. Apparently he had been instructed by Lory and Kyoko to not interfere in her personal life unless it were detrimental to her image or, career. He was not allowed to give her phone number to anyone without explicit instructions directly from her. She had, with Lory's help, successfully locked away her personal life as if it were the Queen's jewels and unless she wanted to grant entrance, no one would gain access. At the moment, Kuon was not on that extremely short list of the privileged and he had no idea on how to get there.

* * *

"Onee-sama, I really think you should talk things out with Ren-sama." Maria practically begged her.

Kyoko sighed in frustration. When would this end? Was she going to keep doing this for the entire week she was here? "Maria, he and I have nothing to talk about. He lied to me. He has or, had a girl he loved and he was playing around with me. I do not like taking second to anyone, especially someone like that girl. I had enough of that with Sho. I will not be toyed with like he did. Now, I have had enough of this. Please do not mention it again." Kyoko scolded as she calmly explained.

"But..." Maria tried.

"No buts Maria! I have had enough!" Kyoko warned her. She was steadily losing her temper.

"It was a misunderstanding!" Maria tried once again, forcing the subject.

"A promise ring to your girlfriend is _**not**_ a misunderstanding! Lying to me and telling me that he loved me is _**not**_ a misunderstanding! Brushing me off like I mean nothing to him on White Day is _**not**_ a misunderstanding! I think all of those things send a pretty clear message! I refuse to be the girl he gets because he can't or, won't have the other! Now drop it or, go home!" She finished and slammed the door as she left to cool off.

A tearful Maria picked up her phone and dialed Kuon in the silence of the bedroom.

"Maria?" He asked when he picked up.

"Ren-sama... _sniff... sob... sob_... I tried. I tried to tell her." She whimpered. "Now she's mad at me. I didn't know you did those things to her."

"Maria, what are you talking about?" He was worried and a little upset with her meddling. What had she done?

"You gave a girl other than Onee-sama a promise ring and she found out! You lied to her about loving her and ignored her on White Day... A day when you're supposed to tell her how much you love her! She said that she didn't want to be the girl you got because you couldn't have the other one and now she said I have to go home!" Her crying became more fierce. "I'm sorry Ren-sama! I'm so sorry! I messed everything up so bad! I don't want Onee-sama mad at me! I don't want to go home with her hating me! I don't know how to fix it!" She continued to cry.

Kuon groaned. _Well, at least I know how she feels now_. He groused internally while trying to calm Maria. "Look... Maria, I don't think she hates you. I'm the one she hates." _Obviously_... "She's mad at me and you just kind of rubbed salt in the wound. She'll forgive you if you ask and do as she says." He consoled.

"Promise?" She asked in a small voice.

He sighed. "I promise."

"Then why can't she forgive you if you ask her?" She asked in an almost whisper.

"Because it's a little more complicated than that. I reminded her of some people that did some bad things to her and she's having a hard time overlooking it." _I left her. I lied to her. She thinks I played with her heart. My father used her to get me to talk to him. Boss used her to help me get over my self punishment. No one has ever done anything for her. Boss even said that no one has ever even told her they love her with any honesty_. He sighed at the thoughts. "How about I come pick you up and we go for ice cream?"

"Okay..." She agreed quietly.

"Alright... I'll be there in about thirty minutes." He told her and they ended their depressing call.

* * *

Kyoko came back from the store after leaving Maria with Ruto in the apartment. Everything that Maria had said brought back all of the pain and anger and she needed a little cool off time to herself. Just as she was finally able to regain her composure and calm herself, her doorbell rang and lo and behold, the very subject of Maria's scolding stood in the doorway.

Kyoko rolled her eyes, growled and slammed the door in his face. "Maria!" She barked. She hadn't cooled her temper after all...

Maria ran into the living room. "I'm sorry Onee-sama... He came to pick me up. You were angry and I didn't think you would be back when he came to get me." She explained hastily.

Kyoko sighed. "Maria..." She shook her head, closed her eyes and sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's fine... Your date is here. He's waiting in the hall for you."

"I'm really sorry Onee-sama... Really I am." Kyoko watched the little doll fall into dogeza and beg for forgiveness.

Kyoko groaned. "Maria, please get up... It's not your fault. You meant well. Just... Just please stop trying to do his job for him. If he wants to talk to me, he'll do it himself. If I were as important to him as you think I am, and I'm not... He would have done everything you've been trying to do on his own."

Maria stared at the floor while she listened. "Oh..."

"Yes... _"Oh"_... Don't force him to do things that he doesn't want to do. He's an adult. He can make his own choices and I'll be fine." She lifted Maria's chin and kissed her forehead. "I appreciate your effort on my behalf, but Kuon does not want me nor, has he ever. I'll be alright. I'm a big girl now and I understand that. Thank you Maria. Now go have fun and try not to think too much on it." She helped her up and patted her head with the best smile she could muster at the moment.

Maria gave her a small nod and ran out the door to Kuon.


	7. Ice Cream & Wild Fires

_**A/N: Couldn't leave you guys hanging in good conscience, so here you go. Not sure if I will make this the last chapter or not. *wink***_

 _ **Chapter 7: Ice Cream & Wildfires**_

* * *

Maria sat squirming in her seat in the little ice cream parlour with a look that told him she had something important to say, something he was going to regret hearing, but she looked like she needed to get it off her chest. Kuon sighed. "Alright Maria... What did you want to say." He asked defeatedly. _And this is only day two._ He groused inwardly.

"Kuon-sama..." She whispered as she stared at the little bowl of strawberry ice cream in front of her. "I wanted to apologize for trying to fix things between you and Onee-sama. I didn't know that you didn't love her. I was just trying to help. She helped me understand that you are grown up and you get to decide who you love. I'm very sorry. Please don't be mad at me."

Kuon let out an inaudible groan. "I'm not mad at you Maria and I do love your Onee-sama. Things are just a little... complicated." He explained.

"I don't understand... All you have to do is apologize and tell her the truth. Is she not more important than that other girl?... Oh... I guess I really don't understand." She stopped herself from saying any more than she'd already said.

"Maria... I don't love Morizumi-san. That ring I gave her was just a thank you gift." He explained. _How many times do I have to say this?_

"But it was a Promise Ring... Didn't you know that when you put it on her pinkie?" She asked innocently.

"I..." He thought back to the day he had done it. _I suppose, I did know._ His brow furrowed and he frowned. _I kind of knew deep down._ He hung his head and buried his face in his hands. "I love Kyoko... I don't know why I did that." He confessed to himself quietly. "I honestly don't know what I was thinking." He said sadly as his head sunk to the table with his arm cradling it. "I wish I could go back and take everything back. She's right, I'm a no-good playboy, that plays with women's hearts. I don't deserve someone as wonderful as her. Why am I even here? Did I actually believe I was worthy of her? At least Fuwa was honest about being an ass." He chuckled wryly forgetting the little girl that was witness to his confession. "Even Kijima was honest about his intentions toward her and I... I chased him off. She might have actually had the chance for someone to tell her they loved her and I took that away without telling her honestly, as myself that I loved her. Why did I do that? Why did I pretend to be her fairy prince when I told her? Why couldn't I just say, Kyoko... I Kuon Hizuri am madly in love with you?" He groaned into the table with his eyes closed and the feel of the cold metal on his skin, then heard the sound of a paper bag filled with a carton of fresh ice cream hit the floor. He looked up to find a golden-eyed blonde staring at him with wide eyes.

She swallowed the thick lump in her throat and Maria watched quietly. "Is this true?" She whispered. This was something that she hadn't expected. She came in to get her ice cream and saw them sitting at the little table. Neither had seen her and she was prepared to take advantage of the fact by leaving as quietly as she had entered, at least until she heard his heart-felt confession.

He nodded his head silently.

She backed away from the little table and picked up her lost purchase. She watched as he fell to his knees, placed his hands and forehead on the cold tile and sat prone before her. She heard the gasps of the surrounding patrons of the little shop as she stared in horror at what he was doing. "Kuon! Get up... Please." She whispered harshly.

Maria gasped.

"No... Not until I have apologized properly for all of the horrible things I've done to you and put you through." He spoke into the cold tile.

"Kuon for the love of all that is holy, please get up. This is certainly not necessary." She begged, blushing and hiding her eyes.

And then he began as both girls watched with mouths agape in stunned submission.

"I Kuon Hizuri... Owe Kyoko Mogami-sama a deepest and heartfelt apology for all of the wrongs I have committed against her in the past and present. I lied to her about my identity from the day we met. I mislead her about my intentions and feelings. She had the right to know that I love her with all of my heart and soul and every fiber of my being. I frightened her when she wanted to do nothing but help me. I left her open to the bad intentions of another person, that knowingly used her feelings against her. And I jealously chased away prospective suitors and ruined her chances to find someone that she loved. I made her feel unloved and unwanted and nothing could be further from the truth. I am so sorry Mogami-sama... Please forgive me." He finished and peeked up to find a teary-eyed pixie staring down at him.

All anyone else would see was a tall, young, blond, male with green eyes on the floor babbling something in Japanese to the beautiful Actress/Model that had recently been featured in three men's magazines and said young woman with a small smile and tears streaming down her perfect ivory cheeks. Which from beginning to end, would minutes later spread to the internet like wildfire.

"Kuon... Please get up." She knelt down and ran her fingers through his diamond colored soft locks. "Kuon... I forgive you... _**Please**_ get up." She softly begged.

He rose to his knees and quickly pulled her to him in a hug, kissing her cheek. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I'm sorry about everything... I love you so much my sweet Kyoko...I didn't mean to hurt you." He whispered to the initially stiff girl that was now relaxing into him.

Maria patted Kuon and Kyoko on the shoulders. "Onee-sama... I think we should leave." She pointed out that they were being watched.

Kyoko giggled while wiping her tears and sighed. "I suppose you're right." She held up her bag of ice cream that was starting to soften. She nodded to Kuon and took Maria's hand. "I think we should continue this at home." She told the pair. "In private."

* * *

By the time they reached Kyoko's apartment two cell phones were ringing mercilessly. Neither wanted to answer for fear of who was on the other end.

Maria skipped to Ruto's room to ask him to take her to the park for awhile and after the conversation with Lory he welcomed the break.

Kyoko stood in her kitchen after putting away the softened ice cream and finally answered.

" _MO! What the hell, Kyoko? Things certainly don't happen to you in halves do they? Couldn't you guys at least have waited until you were home for that display? You're all over the internet!"_ Kanae scolded with the news.

"Moko-san? What do you mean?" Kyoko asked in confusion.

" _Oh my god, Kyoko! Kuon Hizuri's confession and apology to Japan's #1 Sweetheart! Congratulations by the way, on that new title."_ She grumbled.

Kyoko's eyes went wide. She ran to her bedroom and booted up her laptop.

 _ **~xoxo~**_

 _ **In The Living Room:**_

Kuon hesitantly pressed the accept button on his phone and cautiously held it to his ear.

" _Jeez! What the hell, Kuon!? You certainly don't do things by halves do you!? Couldn't you have at least waited until you were in private to drop into dogeza for your apology and confession? You're all over the internet!"_ Lory railed.

"Boss... What do you mean?" Kuon asked in confusion.

" _Dear lord, Kuon! It's all over the internet... Kuon Hizuri... Missing son of Kuu... Publicly Apologizes and Confesses to Actress and Model Kyouko... Japan's #1 Sweetheart! Congratulations by the way... I didn't know you had it in you."_ Lory chuckled. _"Now... We have other things to discuss when you get back in four days. I'll let Yashiro-kun know. Enjoy the rest of your vacation."_ Lory ended the call and Kuon sat of the sofa, stunned.

"Eek!" Kyoko squealed.

Kuon quickly sprung from his seat and ran to the bedroom to check on her. "Kyoko? Are you okay?" He cautiously opened her bedroom door to find her sitting on the floor hyperventilating. "Breathe, breathe." He took her phone from her.

" _MO! Kyoko! What's going on?"_ Kanae asked in panic.

Kuon brought the phone to his ear and answered. "Kotonami-san... Can I have her call you back?"

" _Tsuruga-san? What are you doing there? I thought she was with Kuon Hizuri..."_ She asked him even more confused than before.

"I'll explain later when I get back. Is it okay if I have Kyoko call you back?" He asked again.

" _Yeah... Okay... make sure she calls me back as soon as she can."_ Kanae hung up.

"Kyoko? What happened? Are you alright?" He asked with worry.

She pointed to the web page on her little laptop that was sitting on her bed as if she were pointing to a crime scene. It was a cell phone video of everything that had happened not even an hour ago. It was titled. _**"Kuon Hizuri Apologizes & Confesses To The Goddess of Japan, Kyouko!"**_ It was one of the many that popped up and already had almost a million hits and still counting. The comment section was already filled with hundreds of positive comments about the couple. Their ship had been launched whether they wanted it to sail or, not.

Sadly for poor Ren Tsuruga, he would not be sailing on that tide of affection. Kuon Hizuri had claimed her in front of the world and she had acknowledged his claim. The Kyouko, Japan's newest #1 Sweetheart, was now off the market after only 4 days of carrying that particular title. Male and a few female hearts, across the land were breaking as they sat in her bedroom cuddling on the floor. Cuddling and continuing where they had left off in the ice cream shop as Ruto and Maria took dinner in the park and discussed their favorite couple's future.


	8. Little Trips To La-La Land

_**Chapter 8**_

 _ **Little Trips To La-La Land**_

* * *

He was now standing before the man that had given him the means to pull himself back together and create, what he felt, was a better version of himself. What he had planned was certainly going to change things forever, but he just couldn't continue hiding and he hated that he had to hide his feelings for Kyoko from the world when he was Ren. She didn't deserve watching from afar as women threw themselves at him because they thought he was available. The last one was the final straw that broke the camel's back.

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

Once again he had been out with Hidehito and somehow their little tag-along had discovered that he would be there. She brazenly threw herself at him, kissed him and wrapped herself around him. Only this time is was caught on film. He was mortified. He spent two hours on the phone apologizing and explaining to Kyoko what had happened and although she giggled and said that she understood, citing her own experiences with Sho and others, it still didn't sit right with him. The guilt was stifling.

He hated the fact that it even happened and that the woman ignored the fact that he had mentioned that he had a girlfriend. It disgusted him that he couldn't give Kyoko's name without revealing himself. The tabloids made it worse by assuming that the clingy woman was his dearest treasure instead of the stalker fangirl that she clearly was.

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

This was the main reason for his desire to reveal himself. Well, that and the fact that Kyoko's co-star, playing the protagonist to her assassin/villain for _**Black Cat,**_ just happened to be one of the _"hottest things since sliced bread"_ in Hollywood at the moment and very single. He didn't want everyone pairing her up with that one just because he decided to remain in the Ren Tsuruga mask in Japan. His own father pointed out that a public relationship was going to be difficult enough, they didn't need the added stress of the media pairing them up with their co-stars when they weren't around each other. At least as Kuon he could speak out against the rumors of her cheating on Kuon with Ren or her various co-stars. Not only that, he wanted to be able to shout from the rooftops that they belonged to each other.

"Are you sure you're ready for this Kuon?" Lory asked, already knowing his answer. Ever since he came back from London with Kyoko understanding how he felt and returning the feelings in spades, Lory had expected that he would discard his stage name soon thereafter.

"Yeah, I think it's time to step up as Kuon. I'm tired of the rumors and the aggressive women. I'm tired of not being able to let everyone know that we have each other." He told him with honesty and determination.

Lory smiled brightly and patted him on the shoulder. "Alright then, let's bring in Yukihito-kun and get this thing organized and started."

Kuon nodded in agreement. "Just no big events. I don't need elephants and dancing girls." Kuon warned with a glint in his eyes and Lory swallowed a little nervously.

"O-Of course not." _Note to self: Call the animal trainer and cancel the chorus line._ Lory smiled and covertly took out his little black book.

* * *

"So you have filming until 2pm and then we need to be at Venice Beach for the photo-shoot by 4:15pm. They want to get a few sunset shots and then some nightlife photos for the new line. Finally, you have that dinner date with Juli Hizuri at 7pm." Ruto reminded her.

Kyoko winced a little at the last one. She had been invited to dinner by Juli and it made her nervous. She and Kuon still hadn't discussed what they were going to tell his parents and she wasn't quite comfortable with the fact that Kuu never contacted her after their little act that irritated her. She hoped that the woman didn't hate her for taking her son away from her. She groaned inwardly and memories of Sho's mom came flooding into her mind.

She remembered how Yayoi reacted to finding out that she and Sho no longer had the same bond they left Kyoto with. Yayoi completely blamed her for it. After all, the woman was very old fashioned and she was scandalized that Kyoko had lived with him _"in sin"_ for that year he had used her as a maid. Which by the way, Yayoi told her it was her duty in the first place and the fact that Kyoko left him alone to fend for himself was completely unacceptable. She didn't even want to think about what Juli's reaction would be to that video clip that saturated the internet months ago.

She started feeling insecure again and images of Kuu and Juli being a Demon King and Queen danced through her mind. She was preparing herself for the hateful words and then the demand that she leave him alone. Not that she would. She was a different girl now. She was not going to allow anyone to tell her she was not allowed to have the one man on the planet that actually loved her for herself. No matter how silly, babyish or princessy she got, she knew that Kuon would love her. He wouldn't have made such a scene in the ice cream shop if he didn't and she knew this. No, she worked too hard to get to that point and endured too much pain to allow him to slip through her fingers.

Ruto smiled softly when he watched her go through the myriad of emotions that played across her face. He nodded to himself again and smiled at the fact that he didn't need to help her out of her little moment again, like he did when they first moved to London. She was definitely improving and the darkness that he had witnessed in the beginning was no longer there. He figured that this little momentary slip had something to do with how nervous she was about meeting Juli Hizuri, outside of the supervision of Kuon and Kuu. She had nothing to worry about. He smiled. Julie absolutely loved the girl like a daughter, just like Kuu.

* * *

In a way she admired the beautiful woman that sat in front of her. She seemed very strong and determined, but she couldn't help but question, what kind of person would just let go of their child after something as traumatic as Kuon went through. She internally shook her head at the thoughts. No, it had been something that he needed at the time and she knew that her mother and Yayoi Fuwa would have never made that kind of sacrifice for their children. She thought of the mother-hen death-grip Yayoi had tried to keep on Sho and winced internally.

Juli hadn't given up on him, she was letting his wings grow. He had told her when they were children that his wings kept getting torn by his father's hands and now she understood the metaphor. She wondered, if she ever have children, if she could ever be that selfless. _Children? When did I ever start thinking about something like that? Kuon and I have only just confessed a few months ago and just started dating officially. Why would I even come close to thinking about children?_ She shook her head in deep thought. _Besides, my 18_ _th_ _birthday is still a couple of months away._

Juli giggled. "Kyoko? Kyoko~" She sing-songed Kyoko's name playfully and tapped her arm softly. "Are you still in there? Yoohoo~" She giggled again. Kuu and Kuon had warned her about Kyoko's little trips to La-La Land and she was guessing this was one of those moments.

Kyoko shook her head and smiled. "I'm sorry Juli. Um... I got a little distracted. Could you repeat that?" Kyoko asked a little embarrassed. She really needed to stop taking those little distracting trips into her own mind, in public.

Juli giggled again. "I asked if you wanted to spend a girl's day with me tomorrow. Ruto told me you have off and I would very much like to get to know my daughter." She pouted. "But since you weren't listening to me," an evil little grin crossed her lips. She had been told by Kuon how Kyoko always reacted to spending money. "you are going to have to spend the day shopping with me, _**and**_ we're going to have a spa day." She winked at her. "Sooo, be prepared to be spoiled with me, and I won't take no for an answer. I would be deeply offended." She pouted.

Kyoko swallowed nervously and nodded, hoping that Juli's spending habits and penchant for spoiling her, weren't going to be like Kuon's. Sadly she would discover exactly who he got it from and that his was infinitely more mild than his mother's.


	9. Happily Ever Afters

_**Chapter 9**_

 _ **Happily Ever Afters**_

* * *

It had been several months since her birthday and even more since Kuon had revealed his given name to the fans and media of Japan and the world. Sure they had a few more arguments and some jealous moments, but nothing like what it was in the very beginning. Now they were sitting in their favorite restaurant in downtown Los Angeles having a nice little romantic, candlelit dinner. What surprised her the most is that he was kneeling in front of her and holding out his offering to her with that look that always made her melt.

 _Wait... What?!_ Her mind backtracked to what he had initially said and slowly played his words back to her. He had asked her to marry him! Her eyes went wide and she threw her arms around him in tears, nodding vigorously because her mouth refused to form coherent words.

Kuon chuckled and let out a sigh of relief as he hugged her tightly and the other restaurant patrons clapped and cheered. "You had me worried Princess." He whispered.

She giggled nervously and blushed. "S-sorry, Kuon. My mouth wasn't working."

He could definitely relate to that. He chuckled again and they both stood. He took her small hand in his large and placed the stunningly gemmed bauble on the proper finger. "There, much better. Shall we finish dinner?"

She smiled and nodded.

His smile was radiating as he helped her back to her set and called the waiter for a bottle of champagne to celebrate their engagement. Well, more or less to calm the pair's nerves from all of the excitement.

* * *

One would like to say they lived happily ever after like in the fairy tales that Kyoko loves so much and I suppose that it would be partially true, but something like that is different for each of us. Certainly they had their moments of pure bliss, like their wedding night or when they discovered they would be parents; however, they would have their moments that are typical to a marriage, like when they argued over petty things, but they would follow the advice of _"never go to sleep angry"_ , given to them by Kuu and Juli.

 _Yes, they were very happy overall and they did get their happily ever after and they would get many, many more of them, but that's a story for another time._


End file.
